It is easy to save water in our day to day with a few simple tricks. From the most obvious, such as taking short showers and not leaving the tap running when brushing your teeth, to others such as using flow limiters on taps, which represent savings of up to 60% in consumption. We can save up to 100 euros a year if we wash fruit and vegetables in a container, if we water the plants at night to prevent water evaporation, or if we use the dishwasher – which saves 10% of water compared to washing dishes manually-.
Another appliance that helps us save is the washing machine, which should always be filled, just like the dishwasher. From the Canal de Isabel II they also recommend using ecological or double flush cisterns to discharge only the necessary amount of water. If this is not possible, we can place two bottles full of water inside the cistern itself. Other tips are to reuse the excess water from the jugs or the one we use to boil vegetables to water the plants (as long as it does not have salt). Or slightly close the home stopcock, the difference is hardly noticeable and a lot of water is saved.
In the garden, we will save if we plant native vegetation and install an automated drip irrigation system, they explain from the OCU, which also recommends staying alert to avoid possible leaks or repair them as soon as possible, such as a dripping tap or the cistern that does not stop , because in the long run it can mean a significant expense.
To save water in our purchases, we must look for local and seasonal products or those that have been made using less water. The raising of animals for meat production requires a large amount of water, just like the overexploitation of some crops such as avocados. From the Aquae Foundation they remember that animal fats and dairy products are the foods that need the most water. To produce half a kilo of butter, 2,700 liters of water are required; for 500 grams of cheese, 2,500 liters; and for a hamburger, 2,400 liters.
Taking care of nature also allows us to save water. We can plant a tree or create an infiltration garden and, at home, use natural solutions to store water. It is also important to recycle waste well so that it does not reach the sea or rivers. For example, we should not flush leftover food, oil, medicines or chemicals down the toilet or drain.
The UN estimates that 80% of plastic waste comes from land, while the remaining 20% ??comes from marine sources, such as abandoned nets and gear, for example. To help eliminate this plastic, we can participate in many initiatives of non-profit associations that propose a day to clean beaches, rivers or forests. Also, consume leisure or products that collaborate with projects like Gravity Wave, which works to eliminate plastic pollution from seas and oceans. They clean the plastic from the seabed and transform it into designer products.
